Radio - how often do you actually USE it?

How often do people actually use their on-board radios?

is it necessary?

It is necessary for obvious reasons, be a bit silly not to have one.
But unless you uses docks or cruise in congested waters you'll probably only ever use it in an emergency. Which is why it's necessary to have one.

Hardly ever, but then I never use my flares neither.

The one time the VHF was useful was when a the CG put out a mayday relay and the ship was right in front of us. Was a false alarm, someone washing the deck give the EPIRB a good wash.

With no VHF a boat a mile away could be in trouble and you'd never know.

Eh? :] I take a radio check from the CG often, when cruising with other boats we select a channel and keep in touch throughout the trip, I use ch16 often. Use it guys, it won't bite you.;) It's the most important safety feature on your boat.

unless i am stopped i cannot hear the thing anyhow ,even with my hard fishing boat its not that often i use it, suppose it depends on which area you live in and how much other traffic there is about ,teesmouth where i operate from is 3rd buisiest port in the uk , so i usually listen on the port frequency and ch 16 ,

Eh? :] I take a radio check from the CG often, when cruising with other boats we select a channel and keep in touch throughout the trip, I use ch16 often. Use it guys, it won't bite you.;) It's the most important safety feature on your boat.

Don't get me wrong, mines always on. Have to admit I don't ask for radio checks which I should. As my normal cruising ground around Fleetwood was near a dock I always dual watch CH16 and Ch12.

What I meant was as far as actually using it to communicate with other vessels (unless your in more congested waters) He'll find he hardly ever will.

Agree it's the most important bit of safety kit. :thumbs:

unless i am stopped i cannot hear the thing anyhow ,even with my hard fishing boat its not that often i use it, suppose it depends on which area you live in and how much other traffic there is about ,teesmouth where i operate from is 3rd buisiest port in the uk , so i usually listen on the port frequency and ch 16 ,

That's the main problem I have. Can't hear the bloody thing due to wind noise/engine. Bought an amplified speaker but it doesn't make much difference. Still thinking about trying headphones no matter how daft I look.

How often do people actually use their on-board radios?





is it necessary?


Don't get me wrong. Of course I have one on board - and I do listen on Ch 16 but I have never actually used it! My cruising area ranges from Belfast port round the north Irish sea, Lough Neagh and off North Donegal. OK slight need for it around here but to have never used it?


I am indeed being provocative here but it is a good question.

thing is you shouldent have the need to use it except for listening on ch 16 or 67 or perhaps listning to a working channel ie fishing trawlers,,unless its importent radio use should be kept to a minimum ,i know in some areas the rubbish chit chat from some certain boating groups [ not ribers or sibbers] is totally unnessesary .i have seen some of the largest ships in the world dock with less fuss than it takes some yotties or motor cruser skippers with the vhf .

i have seen some of the largest ships in the world dock with less fuss than it takes some yotties or motor cruser skippers with the vhf .

=) That's true.

I get a radio check each time I go out of the harbour (probably a hangover from aviation) - its no use at all if all the lights work , but no-one can hear you , or you cant hear them . Always on Ch16 and have assisted CG when close to boats with fouled prop etc with a short tow, and boat to boat from time to time.

As said its THE most useful bit of kit on the boat - if you NEED to use it I want to know it works.

I think you should get used to talking on the Radio. If you're not used to it then people can get touge tied and give information when needed in an incorrect format or way. It's very easy to give wrong info across the airwaves, so it's important that you're comfortable with it. Having said all of this, I rarely use the Radio for chat, but use it to do a regular radio check with either the coastgaurd (not on channel 16) or a local maniner. I also listen to the local shipping and port channels, and the fishing channel too.

How often do people actually use their on-board radios?

is it necessary?

not that often now, i tend to use my ipod more :D:cool:=)

I get a radio check each time I go out of the harbour (probably a hangover from aviation) - its no use at all if all the lights work , but no-one can hear you , or you cant hear them .
So how many times have the lights been on, but no one could hear you?

So how many times have the lights been on, but no one could hear you?

I certainly have had this problem (antenna issues) where the set's lights were on but no TX. I could hear everyone (close by) but no-one could hear me...

... yes Mollers, I know - every RibNetters dream come true! ;)

... yes Mollers, I know - every RibNetters dream come true! ;)

It would be if it were combined with keyboard issues. ;)

I certainly have had this problem (antenna issues) where the set's lights were on but no TX. I could hear everyone (close by) but no-one could hear me...

... yes Mollers, I know - every RibNetters dream come true! ;)

Same here - when I've lost the antenna - says its transmitting but nothing ,,,,,, and on aircraft radios ( effectivelty the same but a little further up the freqs) several times for various reasons.

I also prefer the radio to CD on the boat as it doesn't skip in bad weather ;)

I'm lucky in the fact that I use the one on the Lifeboat alot which keeps me upto speed. We've been out and the radio has worked fine, shouted the CG for Ops normal and couldn't get em. We managed to snap the aerial just by hitting big waves.
We would usually do 2 aerials a year on the 21.

How many people have heard some one "over and out" on the radio, priceless!

How often do people actually use their on-board radios?

is it necessary?

Nearly every time I go out - at least twice.

As I normally launch at the Camber in Portsmouth Harbour I have to ask QHM for permission to cross to the other side of the harbour in order to use the small boat channel to get out into the Solent. Then the same on the way back in.

Its quite nice to be able to use the radio inter-RIB on cruises too.

Nasher.

How many people have heard some one "over and out" on the radio, priceless! [/QUOTE]

Loads.:rolleyes:

Our instuctor when I did my VHF ticket was the cox of the Falmouth lifeboat at the time. He beat the 'over and outs' right out of us. :p

A salty old fishermen that was on the course, had spent a little too much time on the CB radio and couldn't drop the lingo. During the simulated conversations he kept coming out with unintentional gems such as 'Yeah, c'mon back Brixham Coastguard'. :D The instructor was losing his patience, I had to walk out of the classroom p'ing myself laughing.

Every morning this boat goes out for a radio check and does the whole over and out thing.

http://www.endeavourwhitby.com/endeavour.html

The one that cracked me up was when one fisherman decided to announce that "the hills are full of billetts" on ch16, he was promptly shadted by the CG.

How many people have heard some one "over and out" on the radio, priceless!

I did it once, felt like a right prat even as the words left my lips. :D

Use it pretty often talking to boats we dive with (a bunch of us normally dive together off 3 boats.) You don't want to know the kind of drivel that goes on there. Also use it to talk to commercial dive boats to get condition reports, find out when they're leaving sites; that kind of stuff.

I've used it several times to talk to the CG when rendering aid; three or four times when I came upon a problem (didn't want the CG to scramble a boat for no reason), and a few times in response to a Pan-Pan call. Oh, and once to report a jetskier who was using anchored dive boats as turn buoys.

jky

As previous responses; tell the CG where we are going etc, radio check, talk to other dive boats. Quite often on tri-watch ch16, ch07 PORT OPS, ch71/72 Leisure.

Not used DSC yet for polling requests and all that malarkey might have look at this on the new boat when we get it.

Not used DSC yet for polling requests and all that malarkey might have look at this on the new boat when we get it.

Tried this out for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Sent a position request to a friend who then accepted and responded and a little boat appeared on my chart plotter at his position.

Now I have tried it I can see it is something I will use especially when out on the Solent trying to find some fellow ribnetters !

How often do people actually use their on-board radios?

We use the radio pretty well every time we go out

Is it necessary?

It's essential. As well as the fixed radio on the boat, we will have a waterproof handheld with us (usually in my pocket)

Nearly every time I go out - at least twice.

As I normally launch at the Camber in Portsmouth Harbour I have to ask QHM for permission to cross to the other side of the harbour in order to use the small boat channel to get out into the Solent. Then the same on the way back in.

Its quite nice to be able to use the radio inter-RIB on cruises too.

Nasher.

Also useful for getting directions to yarmouth off NOS, when lost at sea and going around in circles near the harbour entrance ??????:D

I only ever use a VHF-DSC radio, probably once a year, when im support/rescue boating in "junior week"

All weather lifeboats can also use RDF if you have a VHF fitted to pin point your postion in fog.

Ours is used everwe go to sea, mainly as we are based in a harbour we have to request permission to leave and enter.

Use the DSC function a fair bit to, normally when cruising in company. Have also used it to contact Dover CG when doing some safety boat cover on the Goodwin Sands last summer.

We have two VHF fitted both always on.

Cheers

Jon

The New Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat has RDF as well, it really does make a hell of a difference if your trying to find someone not only in fog but also if surrounded by other traffic!

All weather lifeboats can also use RDF if you have a VHF fitted to pin point your postion in fog.

The New Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat has RDF as well, it really does make a hell of a difference if your trying to find someone not only in fog but also if surrounded by other traffic!

as long as there is no headland or reef in the way , lol

Teesmouth managed to RDF a certain paraffin budgie hiding in the fog above Kettleness when they said it was too bad for an exercise in Runswick Bay. The chopper reckoned they couldn't find the bay despite staring into it. Cracking boat and crew Teesmouth!

We always have a VHF in the RIB when it's out, and it's usually used fairly often.

I keep it monitoring Ch16, Ch18 (Barrage Ctrl), P1 (Private Harbour Authority Channel), P4 (Usually used as the Centres Operating Channel) and if leaving Cardiff Bay - Ch69 (Severn VTS).

Obviously depending on what the boats being used for (from powerboat courses and safety cover to running exclusion zones for events etc) depends on what the primary channel we use is and how often it's used.

Although I always insist that whoever is using the boat, they always have a VHF onboard.

I bought a RIB last May which had a VHF fitted, first RIB I've owned to have one. Was cruising on Loch Fyne between Tarbert and Portavadie on the Clyde, when the channel 16 picked up a mayday. Two small boys had drifted offshore on a large plastic tub, used for transporting salmon from fishfarms they had found washed up on the beach. I was the only fast boat in the area and the wind was wrong for the yachts so I responded to the coastguard. Guided by the Portavadie ferry (using the vhf) I searched for about 4 miles up the loch in and out of small bays and finally found the boys, aged 9 and 11 about half a mile from shore drifted west into the pretty rough open waters of Loch Fyne. I came alongside them and lifted them into the boat, didn't even get their feet wet and zoomed back to Portavadie where their frantic parents (who had raised the mayday) eventually met us. Turns out the lifeboat would have taken 45 minutes to get there from Tignabruich on the Kyles of Bute and the helicopter 30 minutes and would have definately knocked them into the water from the downdraft (they didn't even have coats on never mind lifejackets).

That day could have turned out so terribly different if I didn't have a vhf on 16. Get one fitted and keep it on and hope that everyone else around you does the same. It could be your turn one day!

Good job, Stevie!

jky

I have two Standard Horizon VHFs installed, with separate antennas of course. One stays on 16 all the time. The other is used for chatting with friends. We have no cell coverage here beyond a mile out or so, and the boat (and radio) traffic is so light, there's lots of channels to share.

As well, I have a S-H hand-held for shore excursions.

I can't imagine leaving shore with one.. or two... or three. :crazy: